NEW 6 crowns boys tennis champs
May 2, 2009 Rocky Mount High School
By Paul Durham
Wilson Daily Times
WILSON - Fike freshman Nick James put the stamp of authenticity on a banner rookie season by taking the 3-A NEW 6 Conference boys tennis singles championship Wednesday afternoon.
James concluded his conference run with his 14th victory without a loss by defeating Rocky Mount's Alex Durham 6-1, 6-1 in the final at Barton College Tennis Complex.
"It feels great; I was so excited," James said. "After my semifinals match (Wednesday), I just said nothing can stop me now because I felt so good when I was playing."
James, the first Fike champion during the 4-year history of the NEW 6, was joined by Southern Nash's Julian Paulsen-Jordan Hagler as doubles champions.
The Firebirds duo, seeded No. 1, slammed Rocky Mount's Ross Bradley-Kayshap Kaul 6-0, 6-1 in the final to run their season mark to 17-2 overall and 12-1 against NEW 6 foes.
"I think that's what was expected by a lot of people and I certainly expected that," Firebirds head coach Brad Joyner said of their win. "I think they did it with a pretty good showing in terms of games allowed."
Paulsen-Hagler lost just five games in three matches.
Although Southern Nash dominated the conference, winning all its matches on the way to a 16-0 overall mark and a No. 4 state ranking among 3-A teams, the Firebirds will only send their doubles champions to the next round.
Isaac Arnold, who played No. 3 singles for the Firebirds for much of the season but spent time at Nos. 1 and 2, was upset in the quarterfinals by Rocky Mount's Gavin Stone.
"To me, that was the only mild upset that we had," Joyner said. "Because the way we had the draw, Isaac was capable of winning that bracket."
Paulsen-Hagler became Southern Nash's second doubles team to win a NEW 6 crown, joining the 2007 winner Michael Barnes-Ethan Page.
Fike's combo of Corey Autry-Jordan Tyndall fell to Paulsen-Hagler 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals Wednesday but will compete in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3-A East Regional at Barton next week.
Autry-Tyndall played together in just nine regular-season matches, going 5-4, but made the most of their opportunity this week.
"There was an opportunity there and I thought we did a better job of taking care of business and not having a letdown," Matthews said.
James has had no letdowns of late as he has shown improvement throughout his inaugural high school season.
"Honestly, he's kind of like one of these kids in college and is a freshman at the beginning of the season but it's hard to call him a freshman anymore," Matthews said. "He's been working during the season and there are certain facets of his game that have advanced since the beginning of the year.
"He's playing with a lot of confidence."
James didn't completely agree with his coach, saying: "I do feel like a freshman. It may not seem like I play like one but I feel like a freshman. The nerves are still there."
In the regional, James hopes for a chance to avenge his only loss which came early in the season at the hands of Charles B. Aycock junior Blake Vail, the two-time regional champion.
"I'm looking forward to maybe playing Blake Vail," James said. "It would be very different than it was over at C.B. Aycock. I just have to play my game when I play him and not get caught in his style of play."
Then, with a wisdom certainly not associated with freshmen, James shrugged and said: "I'm just here to play. If you win, you win; if you lose, you lose. It's just a match."
The East Regional will bring teams from the NEW 6, Eastern Carolina, Northeastern Coastal, Mid-East and Coastal conferences to Barton, with play beginning at 2 p.m. Friday.
NEW 6 Conference Boys Tennis Championship
Wednesday @ Barton College Tennis Complex
SINGLES
Semifinals
Nick James (Fike) def. Michael Brackett (Northern Nash) 6-0, 6-1
Alex Durham (Rocky Mount) def. Gavin Stone (RM) 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3
Final
James def. Durham 6-1, 6-1
DOUBLES
Semifinals
Julian Paulsen-Jordan Hagler (Southern Nash) def. Corey Autry-Jordan Tyndall (F) 6-1, 6-0
Ross Bradley-Kayshap Kaul (RM) def. Brad Killebrew-Timmy Bell (SW Edgecombe) 7-5, 6-4
Finals
Paulsen-Hagler def. Bradley-Kaul (RM) 6-0, 6-1 |
NATIONAL
NORTH CAROLINA
